Miles Coverdale Primary School

Miles Coverdale Primary School Coverdale Road, Shepherds Bush, London, W12 8JJ

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Inspection dates 28 February–1 March 2013

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Leaders at all levels are highly ambitious for the school and all its pupils. They work closely together to provide an educational experience that results in pupils being exceptionally well prepared for moving on to secondary school.  High expectations and an intolerance of mediocrity drive staff to do their very best to ensure that all pupils make outstanding progress from starting points that are generally low. Consequently, standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 have been significantly above average for the last three years.  Members of the governing body support the school well by, for example, looking closely at information about pupils’ performance to ensure that pupils from different groups achieve equally well.  Progress in all subjects is checked carefully every term. However, it is only in English and mathematics that pupils’ progress is followed

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

year on year to build up a cumulative picture. Subject leaders are keen to develop systems which would allow them to do this for other subjects as well.  Senior leaders have successfully improved the quality of teaching year on year so that it is now outstanding because they provide highly effective training to help staff develop their skills. This has resulted in a corresponding rise in pupils’ achievement which is now also outstanding.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are exemplary. This is a school where everybody talks about learning and discussions among pupils, and between pupils and teachers, are highly productive in ensuring rapid progress is made.  The school has worked effectively to embed the understanding that regular attendance is vital in achieving well. As a result, attendance has surpassed the level recommended at the previous inspection  The school has an outstanding programme for promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

cultural development. As a result, pupils are highly respectful towards each other and members of the wider community.  The provision for pupils in the specialist unit is very well matched to their needs and enables them to make outstanding progress both in the unit and when integrated into mainstream classes

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 17 lessons or parts of lessons, including the teaching of phonics (letter patterns and the sounds they represent) and guided reading. All full-time and most part-time staff were observed.  Inspectors attended an assembly, listened to pupils read and held meetings with staff, pupils and representatives from the governing body and the local authority.  There were insufficient responses for inspectors to be able to take note of the online survey Parent View but they did consider the 126 results of a survey conducted by the school a few weeks before the inspection.  Inspectors looked closely at pupils’ work in lessons, as well as the work pupils have completed over time in their books.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including those related to safeguarding and child protection, the school’s self-evaluation and development planning, the governing body minutes, information relating to pupils’ academic performance, documents showing how senior leaders

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Information about this inspection

evaluate the quality of teaching, logs relating to behaviour and attendance figures.

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Inspection team

Jeanie Jovanova, Lead inspector Additional inspector Keith Tysoe Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is less than half the national average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is almost three times the national average.  The school has a specialist unit for pupils with speech and language needs that offers 20 places to pupils aged 3-7.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for looked after children, those eligible for free school meals and the children of service families, is much higher than the national average. There are no children in the school who are from service families or who are looked after by the local authority.  Most pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, with 13 different groups represented in varying proportions. Over two thirds of pupils speak English as an additional language, which is

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Information about this school

considerably higher than the national average. A few of these pupils are at the early stages of learning English.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further develop assessment procedures in subjects other than mathematics and English by ensuring that subject leaders:  use a range of measures similar to those used successfully in reading, writing and mathematics  build up a cumulative picture of attainment and progress, year on year, for individual pupils and for different groups.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that are low in comparison to other three-and-four-year-olds, especially in language, literacy, mathematics and personal development. They begin to develop a range of skills quickly because they are offered activities which capture their interest, and there is a strong focus on developing positive attitudes and behaviours. Consequently, the proportion of children reaching age-related expectations at the end of Reception has risen year on year since the previous inspection.  By the end of Year 2, pupils have caught up from their low starting points to reach broadly average standards in reading, writing and mathematics.  Progress continues apace across Key Stage 2 so pupils continue to achieve exceptionally well, leaving at the end of Year 6 with standards in English and mathematics that are significantly above the national average. Impressive numbers of pupils exceed the standards expected for

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

their age in both English and mathematics.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs achieve exceptionally well because a close eye is kept on their progress and any changes necessary to ensure they continue to succeed are made swiftly.  The provision for pupils in the specialist unit is very well matched to their needs and enables them to make outstanding progress both in the unit and when integrated into mainstream classes.  The achievement of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is also outstanding because they reach standards that are significantly above the national average for all pupils in both English and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2. Leaders evaluate the progress of different groups using a range of measures, including average point scores gained in national tests. This shows them that they are using their pupil premium funding well because pupils for whom the

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

funding applies have scores that compare very favourably with those of all pupils nationally, as well as with other groups in school.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language also achieve exceptionally well because there is a strong emphasis on speaking clearly and explaining yourself in lessons.  Pupils from a range of backgrounds achieve equally well because the school has high expectations of all its pupils and is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for all.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching has improved markedly since the previous inspection because teachers talk about learning all the time and share ideas to help each other develop increasingly effective practice.  A range of highly effective teaching strategies, including those which support vocabulary development, are used and this ensures pupils are well supported to access learning at the highest levels.  Phonics and reading are taught particularly well. Pupils are exceptionally confident in using a range of skills when reading unfamiliar texts and can discuss the books they are reading with maturity and a depth of understanding. They enjoy books from a range of different subject areas and realise that reading is the key to learning, which motivates them to practise at every opportunity.  Teachers plan carefully to ensure individual needs are met in each lesson, including in the specialist resource unit. They let leaders know immediately if any pupil is in danger of falling

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

behind so that extra help can be provided to ensure this does not happen. In this way, the vast majority of pupils continually make very rapid progress.  Detailed and precise comments support pupils in understanding what they need to do to meet their targets and therefore progress to the next level in their learning. When marking books, teachers often ask pupils questions or set challenges to which pupils respond with enthusiasm. These exchanges clearly contribute to the rapid progress pupils make because they help to clarify exactly what pupils need to focus on to move forward.  The teaching of all subjects is equally effective. Subjects are linked wherever possible and themed weeks are used to immerse pupils in particular topics. For example, during a week on healthy eating, pupils learnt the words for healthy and unhealthy foods in their Spanish lessons. These links give pupils the chance to really embed their understanding, thereby driving rapid

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

progress in both subject knowledge and the key skills of communication, reading, writing and mathematics.  There is a strong focus on sports and the arts, underpinned by an understanding that skills learnt in one discipline are easily transferable to another. For example, clear links are made between learning to play a musical instrument, the manual dexterity needed for good handwriting and the listening skills that help when following teachers’ explanations in lessons.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Behaviour in lessons and around the school is outstanding. Pupils say they are happy and feel exceptionally safe at school because it is a caring community where everyone looks after each other.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are exemplary. They listen carefully in lessons and contribute thoughtfully when asked to evaluate their own work or that of their classmates. They respond well on the many occasions they are encouraged to work on tasks that stretch them. These attitudes play a significant part in pupils’ outstanding achievement.  Behaviour is managed consistently well. Pupils respond positively to the rewards available for good behaviour. There have been marked improvements over time for pupils with particular behavioural needs, as noted by decreasing numbers of recorded incidents in the carefully analysed behaviour logs. Consequently, there have been no permanent or fixed-term exclusions

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

in the last three years.  Pupils are acutely aware of how to keep themselves safe. For example, they can talk eloquently about how to stay safe on the internet. They also understand the many forms that bullying can take and are emphatic that there is no bullying in their caring and inclusive community.  The school has worked well over the last few years with parents and carers, and outside agencies, to develop a different attitude to attendance. Pupils are now extremely reluctant to have to miss school through illness and return as soon as they are able. This has ensured that attendance figures have increased sharply and are now above average.  In a survey conducted by the school a few weeks before this inspection, almost all parents and carers agreed that their child feels safe at school, and pupils and inspectors support this view.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher has created a highly cohesive team who share her vision and ambition for the school community and strive for the highest possible standards in all that they do. The leadership of the specialist resource base is also excellent.  The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the previous inspection as a result of a robust schedule of lesson observations, regular scrutiny of work in books and an exceptionally effective programme of staff training.  Teachers’ individual performance is managed exceptionally well. Targets reflect the high aspirations the school has for pupils’ progress and are clearly linked to areas of professional responsibility.  Central to the outstanding improvements of the last three years is how robustly leaders understand the school’s strengths, how astutely they plan for future development and how carefully they track the performance of individual and groups of pupils.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Exceptional provision for promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development runs through everything the school does. There are opportunities in assemblies and in lessons to address deep, philosophical questions. Trips, visitors to school and celebrations of the diverse backgrounds of the school community enhance and broaden pupils’ cultural horizons. A highly cohesive programme of personal, social and health education, which begins as soon as children start in Nursery, ensures pupils develop exemplary social skills and a deep respect for themselves, others and the environment.  Subject leaders are keen that the meticulous approach to promoting outstanding achievement over time used so successfully in English and mathematics is replicated in other subjects. They have developed a range of measures to check equally carefully how much progress pupils make in the course of a year which has given them positive results. However, they are yet to devise an

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The leadership and management are outstanding

approach which gives a longer-term overview of progress and allows them to compare the performance of different groups.  The local authority has a clear view of the school’s strengths and provides appropriate support as and when requested, for example in advising the current early years leader when she was first in post on how to develop the outside learning area, which is used to great effect.  The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body are highly effective in holding the school to account for the performance of teachers and the corresponding impact of teaching on standards. They have an accurate view of how their school compares to similar schools nationally, and of the quality of teaching and how it is being improved. They analyse information relating to pupils’ achievement rigorously to ascertain that all groups are performing equally well. Governors exploit their skills to full use in driving improvement and attend training to facilitate this. They

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The leadership and management are outstanding

ensure funding is spent for maximum effect. For example, they know that the additional support funded through the pupil premium has resulted in pupils entitled to that funding making outstanding progress and outperforming all pupils nationally. Governors understand the clear link between outstanding teaching and financial rewards and would, conversely, withhold pay if targets are not met. They manage the performance management of the headteacher robustly and have a secure overview of the school’s finances. Safeguarding is another key priority and governors ensure that all requirements are met to the highest possible standards.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 100326 Local authority Hammersmith and Fulham Inspection number 400406

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 244 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Vic Daniels Headteacher Taranum Baig Date of previous school inspection 14–15 January 2010 Telephone number 020 8743 5847 Fax number 020 8749 6473 Email address admin@milescoverdale.lbhf.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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